Rubber mill



12, 1939. E. J. MclLvRlED E1' AL RUBBER MILL Filed Nav. l, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Tw, may n MM ,wo Wn mm A @NY mK MN, E wmwwa .Q Il humhl I MN I Il. worm j Wwf n MM f k H; Naw

Dec- 12 1939- E. J. MclLvRlED Er AL 2,182,900

RUBBER MILL Filed Nov. l, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNELS Patented Dee. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES RUBBER MILL Edwin J. Mcllvrled, Akron, and Norman H. Nye, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, assignors to The Vaughn Machinery Company, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application November 1, 1,937, Serial No. 172,178

9 Claims.v

This invention relates to machines of the type having cooperating rotary elenents or rolls, such as rubber mills and the like, and more particularly to a machine of this character having novel 4vmeans for controlling and varying the spacing of the rolls.

An object of our invention is to provide a machine of this type having cooperating rolls and novel means for controlling and varying the spacing of such rolls.

Another object of our invention is to provide a mill of this'type in which 'pressure uid responsive devices having operative connection with `one of the rolls serve to control and vary the -spacing of such roll relative to the other.

A further object of our invention is to provide a machine; of the type mentioned, having power means adapted to cause relative translation between the rolls and a novel control for such power means -whereby the direction `and extent of4 relative translatory movement between the rolls can be readily and accurately controlled by an-operator.

Still another lobjectof our invention is to provide an improved mill., of the type referred to, in which the pressureiiuidresponsive means for causing relative translatory movement between the rolls is controlled by valve means which is operable both manually and automatically.`

It is also an object of our invention to provide an improved mill, of the type referred to, in which the pressure fluid responsive means holds the rolls at the desired spacing during normal operation but permits separation of the rolls to prevent breakage of the apparatus upon the occurrence of an overload.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan View of a mill embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the mill but with the adjacent ends of the rolls shown in section; y

Fig. 3 is va partial sectional plan view taken through one of the fluid pressure responsive devices as indicated by line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken through one of the valve elements of our control device as indicated by line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

More detailed reference Will now be made to the drawings and to the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated therein, but it should be understood that the drawings are to be regarded as illustrative and that the invention may be embodied in various other mills and similar machines.

The machine illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 has a frame I0 and a pair of cooperating rotating elements or rolls II and I2 operably mounted there- 5` on. The frame may .comprise laterally spaced end members i3 and I4 between which the pair` of rolls extends. 'Ihese end members may be formed with a recess -I 5 therein in which the bearing blocks I'l and I8 of the cooperating rolls 10y are disposed. The end members I3 and I4 are provided respectively with cap members I9 and 20 which may be secured thereto by suitable screws 2| to retain the bearing blocks I1 and i8 in the recesses I5. The bearing blocks Il of 15, the roll II- are preferably held stationary in the recess I5 by means of screws 22 extending through the frame members I8 and I4 at one side thereof. The blocks I8 are slidable in the recesses I5 togpermit relative translatory movement between 20 the rolls or, in other words, to permit variation of the spacing between the rolls.

The rolls II and I2 are geared together, as by means of gears 24 and 25 which are keyed or otherwise connected with extensions of the rolls 25 at one end of the machine, and may be driven by suitable power means such as an electric motor y26 provided at the opposite end of the machine.

A drive connection between the motor and one of the rolls, for example, the roll II, may be pro- 30 vided by means of a gear 21 connected to such roll and a motor pinion 28 meshing with the gear. The gears 24 and 25 are formed with relatively long teeth sothat they will remain in mesh when the rolls II andv I2 are separated the desired 35 amount.

A machine of this type may be used for various purposes among which is the working of raw rubber stock or composition. When used for this purpose, the rubber stock is placed on top 40 of the rolls in the bight therebetween, and, as the rolls are rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, the stock passes downwardly between the rolls and drops into a pan or onto the floor from which it can be removed and again 45 placed on top of the rolls for reworking. By controlling and varying the spacing of the rolls, the eiect thereof on the stock can be controlled and varied.

For shifting the roll I2 laterally relative to the 50 roll I I to thereby vary the spacing therebetween,

I provide pressure fluid responsive devices 30 and 3| which may be mounted respectively on the frame members I3 and I4. These pressureduid responsive,A devices, which may be of similar I,or 55 identical construction, are provided at opposite ends of the machine so that the roll I2 can always be maintained with its axis parallel to the axis of the roll II. As illustrated in Fig. 3, each of these fluid pressure responsive devices may comprise a housing 33 having a cylinder 34 therein and a piston 35 which is reciprocably operable in the cylinder. A rod 36 slidable in bearings 31 and 38 extends inwardly from the piston for connecting the latter with the adjacent bearing block I8 of the roll I2. 'I'his connection between the rod 36 and the bearing block I8 may be formed by providing the latter with a coupling member 39 having a slot III in which a head 4I on the inner end of the rod engages. A. slotted cover 42 may be bolted to the member 39 to prevent withdrawal of the head 4I so that a pushing and pulling connection is formed at this point between the inner end of the rod and the bearing block.

The rod bearings 31 and-38 may be mounted in a sleeve member 44 which is centered in the inner end of the cylinder and extends into or through an opening 45 of the frame member I3. Circumferentially interrupted shoulder portions 46 provided on this sleeve member cooperate with similar shoulder portions 41 on the frame member I3 and prevent withdrawal of the sleeve member from thev frame member after these parts have been initially assembled.

The outer end of the sleeve member 44 -forms a seat and aligning means tor a coil spring 48 which engages the underside of the piston 35. The housing 33 may be connected with the frame member I3 by means of suitable studs 49. as shown in Fig. 3, preferably with the spring 48 under compression between the piston 35 and the sleeve member 44 so that this spring normally acts on the piston in a direction tending to separate the roll I2 from the roll II. The cylinder 34 has pressure fluid supply and discharge conduits 5I and 52 connected therewith for a purpose to be presently explained more in detail, but from the arrangement of apparatus as thus far described, it will be seen that when motive fluid, such as oil under pressure, is introduced into the cylinder 34 through the conduit 5I while its escape through the discharge conduit 52 is prevented, pressure can be built up in the cylinder to cause the piston 35 to move inwardly against the action of the spring 48 to thereby shift the roll I2 toward the roll II.

The piston 35 may also have a rod 53 extending outwardly therefrom through the end of the housing 33 substantially in alignment with the rod 36. The rod 53 may have its outer end threaded and provided with a nut 54 adapted to engage the face 55 of the housing to limit the inward shifting of the piston 35 and the roll I2. The nut 54 may be provided with radial openings 56 to receive a bar or wrench whereby this nut can be adjusted, or can be rotated manually to abut against the outer end of the housing 33 and cause separation of the rolls in the event that the spring 48 does not satisfactorily accomplish this purpose. Thus, in addition to its function as a stop, the nut 54 also provides a safety feature whereby the rolls may be manually opened if an emergency condition should occur.

Pressure fluid for the devices 30 and 3i may be obtained from any available source, but in this instance we show a pump 68 as the source of pressure fluid. This pump is of a commercially available type which during operation will maintain, within given limits, a substantially constant pressure discharge regardless of variations in the volurne of fluid which is permitted to flow away from the pump. A pump of this type is adapted to operate continuously with the excess iluid being returned through a by-pass to the reservoir 59 in which the pump has its suction. A conduit 60 A connects the pump 4discharge with the valve unit 6I of my novel control means.

The control means now to be described includes the valve unit 6I and manual and automatic operating means for the valves of this unit. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the unit 6I may have two valve cylinders 82 and 83 which are associated respectively with the pressure fluid responsive devices 30 and 3|. Piston valves 64 and 65 are reciprocably operable in the respective valve cylinders 62 and 63. The valves 64 and 65 have actuating rods 66 and 61 which are connected with the lower ends of pivoted levers 68 and 69. Each valve may have a pair o f axially spaced annular recesses Il and 12 for controlling the distribution of fluid. The valve cylinders 62 and 63 have inlet ports 13 which are connected by a passage or conduit 14 with which the pressure iluid supply conduit 60 from the pump 58 connects. These valve cylinders also have relief or discharge ports 15 which are connected by a passage or conduit 16 and which is in turn connected with a return conduit 11 leading to the reservoir 59.

At a point between the supply and discharge ports 13 and 15 the valve cylinder 62 has a port 'I8 which is connected with the cylinder of the device 38 by the conduit 19. The valve cylinder 63 has a similarly located port 80 which is connected with the device 3| by a conduit 8l. With the valve and conduit arrangement just described, it will be seen that when the piston valves 64 and are in the position shown in Fig. 4 the fluid connections to the cylinders of the devices 30 and 3| are closed, but when the valves are moved inwardly, pressure fluid supplied to the valve cylinders through the conduits 60 and 14 will flow to the cylinders of the devices 39 and 3I through the conduits I9 and 8| and the resulting inward movement of the pistons 35 will cause the roll I2 to be moved toward the roll I I. On the other hand, when the valves 64 and 65 are moved outwardly, pressure iluid will return to the valve cylinders from the devices 38 and 3| through the conduits 19 and 8l and will flow back to the reservoir 59 through the conduits 16 and 11, and such release of pressure in the cylinders of the devices 30 and 3i will permit the springs 48 to shift the pistons 35 and the roll I2 outwardly with respect to the roll I,

For actuating the valves 64 and 65 to cause the shifting of the roll I2 in the manner just explained, I provide manually operable means 82 and also linkage which is connected with opposite ends of the roll I2 and transmits motion in response to shifting of the latter. means 82 may comprise a bracket 83 which is slidably mounted, and an actuating member, preferably a screw 84, for causing shifting of this bracket. The screw 84 may haveits shaft journaled in a base 85 and may be connected with an operating member, such as the wheel 86 having a handle 81 thereon. The slidable bracket 83 forms a fulcrum for the levers 68 and 69 with which the valves 64 and 66 are connected.

The upper ends of the levers 68 and 69 have links 88 and 89 connected therewith of which the link 88 is connected with the adjacent end of the roll I2 by means of the post or bracket 98. This post is Substantially rigidly connected with the The manual bearing block I 8 of the roll I 2 and at its upper end has pivotal connection with the link 88. The link 89 is connected with a lever 9| of a rock shaft 82. This rock shaft extends in the direction of the rolls I I and I2 and is mounted in bearing brackets 93 and 94 which are secured to the cap members I9 and 20 of the frame. A lever 86 on the opposite end of the rock shaft is connected with a post 96, similar to the post 90, by means of a link 91.

' 10 The post 96 is substantially rigidly connected with the bearing block I8 at the remote end of the roll I2. With this lever and linkage arrangement it y will be seen that motion may be transmitted from the respective ends of the roll I2 to the valves 64 5 and 65 by rocking of the levers 68 and 69 on the bracket 83, but the effect of this movement on the valves may be modified by manual shifting of this bracket. Similarly, when the valves are actuated by manual shifting of the bracket 83, the manual actuation may be modied by the'motion transmitted to the levers 68 and 69 from the ends of the roll I2.

When the operator wishes to move the roll I2 toward the roll II, he rotates the wheel 86 in a direction to cause inward shifting oi the bracket 83 which will 'cause inward movement of the valves 64 and 65, the levers 68 and 69 at this time fulcruming at their connections with the links 88 and 89. causes pressure uid to be supplied to the cylinders of the devices 30 and 3|, which results in the desired movement of the roll I2 toward the roll II. Shifting of the roll I2 in this direction will continue as long as the operator rotates the wheel 86, but no longer, because when inward movement of the bracket 83 ceases the movement transmitted from the ends of the roll I2 will predominate and cause the levers 68 and 69 to pivot on the bracket and move the valves outwardly to automatically check or cut off the supply of pressure fluid to the devices 30 and 3|.

When the roll I2 is to be moved away from the roll Il, the operator rotates the wheel 86 in a direction to cause outward movement Ioi! the bracket l83 and the valves 84 and 65, which releases the pressure iiuid from the cylinders of the devices 30 and 3| and permits the springs 40 to shift the roll I2 outwardly. However, the movement of the roll I2 causes motion to be transmitted to the levers 68 and 69 tending to rock the same in a direction to move the valves inwardly.

Hence when the operator ceases to rotate the Wheel 86, the motion transmitted from the roll I2 will automatically move the valves inwardly to substantially the position illustrated in Fig. 4 and prevent further outward movement of the roll I2.

If desired, a suitable indicator may be provided on the manually operable means 82, such as graduations on the shaft of the screw 84 and on the base 85, -to indicate the different positions or spacings for the roll I2.

To prevent breakage of the machine or damage to the control apparatus, we provide novel relief 55 means whereby separating movement ofthe roll I2 is permitted upon the occurrence of an overload. This relief means may comprise conduits |00 and I 0| leading from the cylinders of the devices 30 and 3| and connecting with a return conduit |02 which leads back to the reservoir` 59. The conduit |00 has a check valve |03 therein which opens in a direction to permit ow through this conduit only in a direction away from the cylinder of the device 30. The conduit |0| has a similar check valve |04 therein which permits The inward shifting of the valves.

the other. The return conduit |02 may have a pressure relief valve |05 therein which will open in response to ya predetermined pressure in the cylinders of the devices 30 and 3| and will permit a flow of fluid from these devices back to the res-"10 ervoir 58 only when such predetermined pressure is exceeded. A manually operable by-pass valve |06 and appropriate connections may be provided for by-passing uid around the pressure relief valve los when this is desirable. l

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings it will now be readily understood that we have provided novel means for con-A trolling and varying the spacing of the rolls of a mill or similar machine, whereby the direction .o and extent of relative translatory movement between the rolls can be readily'and accurately controlled by an operator. It will be seen -further that this control for the relative translatory movement between the rolls of the machine in- 5 cludes valve means which is operable in part by manual means and in part automatically, as the result of the relative translatory movement. It

will also be readily understood that we have provided novel fluid pressure control and relief .o means whereby opening of the rolls is permitted upon the occurrence of an overload.

While we have illustrated and described the improved machine and control apparatus of our invention in a somewhat detailed manner, it will .5 be understood, of course, that we do not Wish to be limited to the precise arrangements and details of construction herein disclosed, but regard our invention as including such changes and modifications as do not constitute a departure from 40 the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a mill having a pair of cooperating ro- 45 tating rolls of which one is shiftable relative to the,other for varying the spacing therebetween, power means for shifting said one roll, a control for said power means, manual means for actuating said' control to cause a desired shift- |50 ing of the roll, and a connection between the roll and said control whereby said shifting ,of the roll actuates the control in a direction toretard further shifting of the roll.

2. In a mill having a pair of cooperating ro- 55 tating rolls of which one is shiftable relative to the other for varying the spacing therebetween, power means for shifting said one roll,

a control for said power means, a lever having pivotal connection with said control, and manual 00 and automatic control-actuating members connected with the lever at different lever arm distances from said pivotal connection, the automatic control-actuating member being responsive to shifting of said one roll. 05

3. In a mill having a pair of cooperating rotating rolls of which one is shiftable relative to the other for varying the spacing therebetween, power means for shifting said one roll,

a control for said power means, a lever having 70 one end thereof pivotally connected with said control, means connecting the other end of the lever with said one roll, and a manually operable member having pivotal connection with the lever intermediate its ends. 75

4. In a mill of the character described, a frame, a pair of cooperating rolls, pairs of bearing blocks for mounting said rolls on the frame,

one pair of blocks being shiftable relative' to the other pair for varying the spacing of the rolls, power means for shifting said one pair of blocks, amontrol for said power means, a lever having one end pivotally connected with said control, means connecting the other end of the lever with at least one o! the pair of shiftable bearing blocks, and a manually movable member supporting said lever and having pivotal connection therewith intermediate its ends.

5. In a mill of the character described, a frame, a pair of cooperating rolls, pairs of bearing blocks for mounting said rolls on the frame, one pair of. blocks being shiftable relative to the other pair for varying the spacing oi the rolls, fluid pressure responsive means having operative connection with said one pair of blocks for shifting the same, fiuid pressure supply means, a valve controlling the fluid pressure for said responsive means, a lever having an end portion thereof pivotally connected with said valve, meansconnecting lthe other end portion of said lever with at least one block of said pair, and a manually movable means supporting said lever and having pivotal connection therewith intermediate said end portions.

6. In a mill of the character described, a frame, a. pair of cooperating rolls, a pair of bearing blocks for each roll, one pair of said blocks being shiftable relative to the other pair for varying the spacing of the rolls, a fluid pressure responsive device connected with each block of said pair for shifting the same, a uid pressure supply means, a valve for each responsive device, a pair of levers having one end -pivotally connected with the respective valves, means connecting the other ends of said levers with the respective blocks of said pair, and a manually movable member supporting said levers and having pivotal connection therewith intermediate their ends.

7. In a mill of the character described, a frame, a pair of cooperating rolls, a pair of bearing blocks for each roll, one pair of blocks being shiftable relative to the other pair for varying the spacing of said rolls, a pair oi cylinders on said frame, pistons operable in the respective cylinders and having push-pull connection with the blocks of .said pair, springs acting on said pistons tending to cause separation of the rolls, means for supplying fluid pressure to the cylinders to cooperate with said springs in holding the rolls at a desired spacing, a discharge conduit connected with the cylinders, a pressure relief valve controlling said conduit and operable to permit separation of the rolls upon the occurrence of an overload, and check valve means in said discharge conduit between the cylinders and the pressure relief valve to prevent the transfer of iiuid pressure from one cylinder to the other.

8. In a mill of the character described, the combination of a frame, a pair of cooperating rolls, a pair of bearing blocks for each roll, one pair of blocks being shiftable relative to the other for varying the spacing of the rolls, a pair of cylinders on the frame, pistons operable in the respective cylinders and having push-pull connection with the blocks of said pair, springs acting in a direction to cause separation of the rolls, a reservoir, a pump connected with said reservoir and cylinders and adapted to operate continuously to provide a source of fluid pressure, a control valve for each cylinder, a pair of levers having one end pivotally connected with the respective valves, means connecting the other ends of the levers with the respective blocks of said pair, and a manually movable member having pivotal connection with said levers at an intermediate point.

9. In a mill of the character described, the combination of a frame, a pair of cooperating rolls, a pair of bearing blocks for each roll, one pair of blocks being shiftable relative to the other for varying the spacing of the rolls, a pair of cylinders on the frame, pistons operable in the respective cylinders and having push-pull connection with the blocks of said pair, springs acting in a direction to cause separation of the rolls, a reservoir, a pump connected with said reservoir and cylinders and adapted to operate continuously to provide a sourec of fluid pressure, a control valve for each cylinder, a pair of levers having one end pivotally connected with the respective valves, means connecting the other ends of the levers with the respective blocks of said pair, a manually movable member having pivotal connection with said levers at an intermediate point, a discharge conduit connected with said cylinders, a pressure relief valve controlling said conduit and operable to permit separation of the rolls upon the occurrence of an overload, and check valve means in said discharge conduit between the cylinders and said relief valve to prevent the transfer of fluid pressure from one cylinder to the other.

EDWIN J. MCILVRIED. NORMAN H. NYE. 

